10 OF THE BEST…

SHORT-TIME GAMES

Though you may wish it otherwise, sometimes you don’t always have an hour or two (or three, or four) to sit down and play through a beloved 4X epic. As they say, quantity isn’t quality; there are plenty of really fantastic tabletop experiences that take under 20 minutes to play and have the added bonus of having little-to-no setup or pack-away time. Whether you’re looking to plug the gap between demos at a convention or squeeze in a match while waiting for some form of transport to arrive, we’ve rounded up ten of the standout titles that can be completed in a matter of minutes.

Chosen by Matt Jarvis

1 HIVE POCKET

With no need for a board and highly durable components, Hive is the very definition of a travel game (doubly true for its bag-friendly Pocket edition).Just find a flat surface and start laying down those iconic hexagonal pieces. The mechanics may be simple, but matches quickly turn in a highly strategic duel between the two players as each competitor tries to completely surround their opponent’s queen with their pieces and utilise each bug’s unique way of moving. Expect to finish a game in around 20 minutes.

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